Dwain Northey (Gen X)

The month of July is named in honor of Julius Caesar, the famed Roman general and statesman. Originally called “Quintilis” (Latin for “fifth month”) in the old Roman calendar, it was renamed “Julius” in 44 BCE following Caesar’s assassination, to commemorate his birth month. Caesar had significantly influenced the Roman calendar itself—replacing the old lunar system with the solar-based Julian calendar, which more accurately aligned with the Earth’s revolutions around the sun. The renaming was a tribute not only to his birth but to his legacy as a reformer and powerful figure in Roman history.

Now imagine, for a moment, how a modern political cult of personality might respond to this kind of historical legacy. If the most fervent supporters of Donald Trump—often referred to (sometimes mockingly) as the “Trump sick offense”—truly understood that July was named to glorify a powerful ruler, they might demand a similar honor for Trump. Perhaps June, the month preceding July, would be renamed “Trumpuary” or simply “Trump.” After all, if Julius Caesar gets a whole month, why not the 45th president, they might argue?

They could even push for his face to be added to Mount Rushmore alongside Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt—presidents remembered for nation-building, emancipation, and global leadership. While critics would scoff at the comparison, Trump’s most loyal followers might insist that his impact—be it controversial or not—deserves a permanent, granite-carved tribute. History, they’d say, should reflect the greatness they believe he brought to America.